Fire Is Not a Line Item.
Unity Is Not Just a Talking Point.
Fire protection is not an abstract policy debate in Tuolumne County.
It is not a spreadsheet exercise. It is not a bargaining chip. It is response time. It is coverage. It is whether help arrives when someone calls 911.
That is why the 3 to 2 vote to remove CAL FIRE funding from Mono Vista Station 56 has shaken this county so deeply. And it is why people across all five districts are speaking out.
Supervisor Kirk has tried to express that he is through with division. This decision did not unify Tuolumne County… unless it unified the county against them.
A False Choice That Never Should Have Been Made
The idea Anaiah Kirk has expressed (See video here) that we must choose between fire protection and law enforcement is simply wrong. Firefighters and deputies work together every day. They show up on the same calls. They depend on each other during emergencies. They serve the same residents.
Creating a rivalry between fire and law enforcement is not leadership. It is dangerous. And it puts first responders in an impossible position.
Public safety is a system. When you weaken one part of it, the whole system suffers.
What This Vote Really Did
Supervisors Griefer, Holland, and Kirk voted to cancel funding for Station 56. That decision has consequences beyond the loss of staffing.
• It has damaged trust
• It has damaged morale
• It has damaged our relationship with CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE will continue to respond when we call. That is who they are. They are professionals. They show up.
But let us be honest. CAL FIRE is not happy with Tuolumne County leadership. And they have every reason not to be.
Unity Requires Follow Through
Supervisor Kirk has spoken often about unity. About bringing people together. About healing division in our county.
Words matter. But actions matter more.
The only move that has truly unified this county in recent months was the decision to cut Station 56. And it unified residents firmly against Supervisors Griefer, Holland, and Kirk.
That is not the kind of unity we should be proud of. Real unity does not come from surprise votes or closed‑door decisions. It comes from transparency, collaboration, and respect for the people and agencies who keep us safe.
What Oakland Did — and Why It Matters Here
This is not theory. We have a real California example we can learn from.
In late 2024, the City of Oakland faced a projected 117 million dollar budget shortfall. As part of their response, the City Council voted to temporarily close three fire stations. Residents were outraged. Firefighters were demoralized. Public trust was shaken.
A sign reading “Save our fire stations” stands outside Oakland City Hall on Monday, Jan. 6. Credit: Roselyn Romero
But by March 2025 all three stations had reopened.
Oakland leaders listened. They reallocated budget priorities. They found creative solutions. They partnered with fire leadership to restore protection where it was needed most.
“As the City of Oakland faced a projected 117 million dollar budget shortfall, the Oakland City Council agreed to close three fire stations… But city leaders announced Thursday that the three shuttered fire stations are being reopened.”
~ SFist, September 24, 2025
How Tuolumne County Can Do the Same
If Oakland can reverse course, Tuolumne County can too.
1. Reopen the Conversation With CAL FIRE.
Not a memo. Not a press release. A real, face‑to‑face conversation. Acknowledge the damage done. Listen without defensiveness
2. Stop Pitting Public Safety Against Itself
Law enforcement and fire protection are not enemies. End the zero‑sum logic. Explore TOT reallocation, grant programs, phased funding models, and more
3. Stop Hoarding Solutions
When supervisors keep decisions and ideas behind closed doors, trust erodes. Invite the public and first responders into the problem‑solving process. Silence builds resentment. Sunlight builds better policy
4. Restore Station 56 and Plan Ahead
Restoration must be the first step not the last. Plan for future growth, climate risk, and coordination between departments. No more short‑term patchwork budgets
A Real Path Forward
If we want to correct this, and I believe we must, here is what it will take:
Rebuild our relationship with CAL FIRE. Involve the public in emergency planning. Launch a citizen task force focused on fire response. Explore funding options that protect both fire and law. Require public hearings for all future public safety cuts
Leadership Means Owning the Outcome
This vote did not happen in a vacuum. It has made CAL FIRE feel unvalued. It has made our community feel unheard. And it has put our safety system at risk.
Tuolumne County residents deserve leaders who listen, adapt, and put public safety before politics.
